Acid-proof battery-container and method of making the same



i No Drawing.

' can" snares RUFUS N. CHAMBERLAIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 GOULD STORAGE BATTERY (10., OF DEPEW, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK,

acrn-rnoor BATTERY-CONTAINER AND mnrnon or MAKING THE same.

- Same, of which the following is a specification.

.As is well known the containers for storage batteries are now usually-constructed in the form of boxes or trays of wood or similar fibrous material which becomes decayed or rotten in a comparatively short time by reason of the spilling or splashing of acid from the battery on to the container which latter attacks the same and necessitates unduly frequent renewal thereof.

It is the object of this invention to provide a container which is practically acid resistant and a process for making the same vwhich'is low in cost, capable of being easily practised and renders the battery container much more resistant against the destructive effects of the acid.

In practising my invention the body "or container which is now generally constructed of wood, although the same may be constructed of' any suitable fibrous material, is first subjected to a treatment of acid resistant material which is applied to the container so that it operates as a filler by entering the pores of the same. Any suitable acid resistant material may -be used for this purpose, preferably inliquid form, such as linseed oil, tung (Chinese) oil, or Vaseline. This filler is preferably applied to the battery container by submerglng the latter in a liquid bath of linseed oil or similar acidresistant material so that the latter penetrates the pores of the container to the full;

est extent.

While the linseed oil is still in a warm or I semi-fluid condition a protecting coating of acid resistant paint is applied to the exterior of the battery container so as to exclude the air from the acid resistant filling material and maintaining the latter in the most ef- ,fective condition to resist the attack of the battery'acid on the wood container.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 19, 1919. Serial No. 305,417.

Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

By thus applying the paint to the surface of the container While the filler is still in a Warm condltlon, the filler and paint blend or amalgamate more efiectively and render the palntmore adherent so as to prevent the same from separating and falling away from the acid resistant filler.-

By boiling the container either in an as sembled or in a dismembered condition in linseed oil not only is moisture driven 011? from the same but the linseed oil is thinned, and the pores of the container are opened enabling the solution to penetrate deeply into the body of the container, thus increasing the depth of penetration and the quan tity of the acid resistant material which is loaded into the container, thereby increasing theacid resistant qualities accordingly;

This outer protecting coating preferably is of a character which will harden upon drying in the air for which purpose any suitable petroleum or bituminous paint may be employed, for instance, asphaltum paint, which after being applied to the surface of the container will dry readily and become hard so as to effectively'seal the pores of the container and confine therein the linseed oil or other acid resistant material with which the container has been treated for filling its pores.

A'battery containerof wood or similar material when thus treated is not only protected against the attack of acid so that its life is materially prolonged, but the same also keeps the battery container in better shape and produces a more neat and finished appearance of the same inasmuch as it can be more readily cleaned than the ordinary battery container now in common use.

I claim as my invention:

The hereindescribed process of rendering wood battery containers acid-resisting which includes submerging the container in a filler bath consisting of linseed oil which penetrates the pores of the container, and then applying to the surface ofsaid container while the linseed oil is still semi-fluid a coat-- ing of asphaltum paint which hardens upon drying.

RUFUS N. CHAMBERLAIN, 

